Latch for a container



July 16, 1957 w. TAMOSCHAT 2,799,525

LATCH FOR A CONTAINER.

Filed Feb. 11, 1955 HIE-DIG)- INVENTOR United States Patent LATCH FOR A CONTAINER William Tamoschat, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Zell Products Corporation, a corporation of Connecticut Application February 11, 1955, Serial No. 487,543 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-127) My invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a novel form of depressible latch for opening the same. These containers may be compacts used for storing face powder or other materials in the purse.

In the prior constructions, such containers comprise a body portion and a hinged lid and latch. A spring biased catch permits the lid to be snapped shut. The latch is small and diflicult to operate. Frequently the fingernails are broken in depressing the latch to open the catch.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a latch for a compact or container which is inexpensive to construct and assemble, easy to operate, and more dependable than the small difiicult-to-press conventional latches of present types of compacts. Another object is to provide a type of latch which possesses a pleasing appearance, an important commercial factor. A further object is to provide a latch that can be used to hook onto a belt or other article of wear.

These and other objects are accomplished and my new results obtained as will be apparent from the device described in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a compact employing my novel latch.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same taken in the planes 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the inside of the compact, showing the position of the latch inside its supporting ring.

Fig. 4 is a sectioned view of the latch member.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the latch member.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the spring and catch member.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the inside of a compact showing a modified form of latch.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of a further modification.

In the drawing, Figs. 1 to 3, I have illustrated a compact 10 having a body 12 and a lid 14 hinged at 16. The lid snaps over the catch 18 to lock the lid to the body. The catch is controlled by the U-shaped latch 20, giving the compact the appearance of a padlock.

Inside the lid 14, I prefer to provide a mirror 22 secured thereto, and in body 12, a powder and puff unit 24.

The body and latch assembly is constructed as follows: an annular ring 26 (Figs. 2 and 3) U-shaped in radial cross-section is fitted into the body 12, one outer leg 28 of which is provided with an upset portion 30 which cams under the inwardly turned rim 32 of the body, and thus may be snap fitted into place. The inner leg 34 forms a pocket 35 for seating the powder and pulf unit.

The outwardly biased catch comprises a rounded lip portion formed as part of a bow shaped spring 38, which is seated within the annular ring 26. The ring is provided with a cut out 40 to permit the catch 18 to extend there- 'ice from and to move therethrough when the catch is cammed under the rim 42 of the lid 14.

The spring 38 is provided with projections 44 which seat in recesses 46, formed in the legs of the latch 20 projecting from the cut-out 48 in the ring 26. The legs are thinned and bent as at 50 to fit into the annular ring 26, over the ends of spring 38. When the latch 20 is depressed, the bow shaped spring 38 is moved sufiiciently towards the hinge to retract catch 18, an integral part thereof. Thus the compact may be opened when the latch is depressed.

In the modification 12b of Fig. 8, I have illustrated a modification of my device. In this figure the U-shaped latch 20b is provided with an end 18b which acts as a catch to engage the rim of the lid, now shown. The other end of the latch is shaped in the form of a spring 38b, which is welded as at 39, or otherwise secured to the inside surface of the body 12b. Thus when the latch is depressed, the spring 38b gives sufiiciently to release catch 18b from the lid. The body wall is apertured at 48b and 40b to allow the latch and catch, respectively, to project therethrough. The powder and pufi unit 24b is positioned in a pocket 35b of plate 26b, which is snap fitted into the body by suitable means, such as a beaded tongue, not shown.

In the modification 12a of Fig. 9, I provide a latch 20a, the two legs of which are brazed to the spring 38a carrying the catch 18a. The spring extension 50a is curved as at 51a and spring fitted between the two legs 28a and 34a of the annular ring 26a also U-shaped in radial crosssection. Thus when the latch is depressed, a resilient pivoting action takes place which permits the catch 18a to be withdrawn from the lid. The spring action permits the catch to be snap fitted into contact with the lid. The ring is apertured as at 40a and 48a to permit the catch and latch to project therethrough.

In the foregoing, I have provided a latch for a compact or other container, which will permit a woman to instantly locate the latch and open the catch without breaking her fingernails. The latch is of the loop type which permits the compact to be secured to a chain or belt. The latch is preferably seated in an annular ring U-shaped in cross-section peripherally seated inside the compact, which construction lends itself to ease in production and assembly. The annular ring may be eliminated and the latch directly secured to the wall of the compact as shown in Fig. 8.

I have thus described my invention but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

1. In a container having a body provided with a pair of apertures, a lid hinged thereto, a U-shaped latch therefor, and a catch operated by said latch, said latch having two parallel extending ends each projecting through its individual aperture in the body, said catch having a spring portion connected to the latch, said cat-ch engaging the cover and securing the cover thereto, said body having a support for the spring portion to permit flexing of the spring portion with a corresponding movement of the catch when the latch is moved towards the body.

2. In the container of claim 1, wherein the spring portion is contained within an annular ring having a U- shaped radial cross-section, fitted within the body.

3. In a container having a body provided with a pair of apertures an annular lid hinged thereto, said body provided with a ring, having a radial U-shaped cross section, said ring secured to said body, a latch and a catch for said container comprising a U-shaped latch, each of the two ends of the latch projecting through its individual aperture in the body and a catch having a spring portion seated in the U-shaped portion of the ring, said ring provided with a cutaway to permit the catch to extend therefrom and be outwardly spring biased to engage the lid, the ends of said latch connected to said spring to permit the catch to be released from the lid when the latch is pressed towards the body against the action of the spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,664,500 Bates Apr. 3, 1928 1,674,608 Noble June 19, 1928 1,709,182 McKnight et a1 Apr. 16, 1929 2,089,833 Kasdan Aug. 10, 1937 2,163,429 Kaplan et a1 2- June 20, 1939 2,203,202 Kun June 4, 1940 2,246,598 Osborne June 24, 1941 

